Current context
Éoliennes

The use of wind power to supplement human or animal energy is not new. Ancestors of modern wind turbines can be traced as far back as ancient Persia. Closer to home, since the Middle Ages, certain countries have made extensive use of this type of energy through traditional windmills. Over the centuries, windmill technology has evolved, with the introduction of steerable roofs or complete pivot-mounted windmills for easier orientation to the wind, followed by the adoption of more efficient blade systems.

With the advent of the industrial era in the 19th century, however, this form of harnessing wind power fell into disuse. Subsequently, small-scale systems designed mainly for pumping water appeared in Europe (figure